Figure 1.--We see large numbers of boys in America and Europe wearing cut-away jacket suits, They seem especially popular in the 1860s and 70s. This American CDV portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1860s.

We have just begun to develop a chronology for cut-away jackets. They appear to have been primarily as concerns boys, a mid-19th century style (1860s-70s). We note a wide range of cut-away jackets in the mid-19th through the late 19th century. Our information on the early 19th century is limited, in part because of the absence of photographs. We are not sure about the 1840s, but we see them quite commonly in the 1850s. A good example os John Van Horn in 1859. We see them most commonly in the 1860s. A good example is Charles J.J. Carter. Another example is two unidentified brothers in 1864. We note a German boy wearing a cut-away jacket suit in the 1860s. Another example is John Schwensusen, we think in the late 60s. We note that they were still quite common in the 1870s. Good examples in America are Tom Baird in the 1860s and Elmer Dayton in 1870. We note an unidentified Syracuse boy in the 1870s. We see far fewer cut-away jackets in the 1880s. Here an exception was the Fauntleroy suit. The classic Fauntleroy suit of the 1880s was of course done with cutaway jackets. They become less common in the 1890s, although we still see Fauntleroy suits with cut-away jackets. We see examples in the 20th century of little boys dressed formally in cut-away jackets, but they were not very common.

The 19th Century

Cut-away jackets appear to have been primarily as far as boys are concerned, a mid-19th century style (1850s-70s). And also as a Fauntleroy suit garment they continued to be worn (1880s-90s). We thus note a wide range of cut-away jackets in the mid-19th through the late 19th century. Our information on the early 19th century is limited, in part because of the absence of photographs. We are not sure about the 1840s, in part bcause it is so difficult to destinguish between 1840s and 50s Dags. We do see them in the 1850s, at least by the mid-50s. A good example os John Van Horn in 1859. We see them most commonly in the 1860s. A good example is Charles J.J. Carter. Another example is two unidentified brothers in 1864. We note a German boy wearing a cut-away jacket suit in the 1860s. Another example is John Schwensusen, we think in the late-60s. We note cut-away jackets being worn with both long pnts and shortened length pants. They were also worn as prt of kilt outfits, both kilt suits and Hihjlnd kilt outfits. Cut-away jackets were still quite common in the 1870s. Good examples in America are Tom Baird in the 1860s and Elmer Dayton in 1870. We note an unidentified Syracuse boy in the 1870s. We see far fewer cut-away jackets in the 1880s. Here an exception was the Fauntleroy suit. The classic Fauntleroy suit of the 1880s was of course done with cutaway jackets. They become less common in the 1890s, although we still see Fauntleroy suits with cut-away jackets.

The 20th Century

We see a few examples in the 20th century of little boys dressed formally in cut-away jackets, but they were not very common. Much more common were a somewht related style, the junior or American Eton jacket. This was another suit jacket specifically worn by younger boys.